OOBE CHALLENGES & HOW TO EXIT( By Robert Bruce )

WAKING PARALYSIS

Some degree of physical paralysis is a sure sign an OOBE is IN
PROGRESS. It shows the mind split, in some form, has already occurred. The
physical body has varying degrees of difficulty animating itself when the
mind split effect is active. Even though they may not be aware a
projection is in progress, a projector's physical/etheric body may feel
total physical paralysis, or some degree of lethargy and heaviness and
disorientation in their physical body. The degree of this depends greatly
upon the strength of the projection and how much energy is being used to
maintain it. Strong sensations like these point to an OOBE being in
progress.

The degree of paralysis shows the 'strength' of the projection. A full
powered Real Time OOBE will cause total physical paralysis (full waking
paralysis) while a lighter level of projection can still allow the
projector's physical body to stumble to the bathroom - albeit mumbling
incoherently and feeling like they are walking on pillows, body fairly
numb and fuzzy - but ambulatory all the same.

Waking paralysis (often called sleep paralysis) will also occur where
the real time body has been generated 'inside' the physical/etheric body,
but actual separation or full projection from the physical/etheric bodies
has not occurred. This means a partial projection has occurred, albeit
internally, and is causing some degree of waking paralysis. The real time
'projectable double' in this case has not projected completely free of
it's physical body. If this is suspected, the projector should relax and
let it happen, or use a projection technique like rope. A full projection
can then occur if it has not already happened.

Note: Many people are plagued by waking paralysis, and it can indeed be
a terrifying experience, capable of causing psychological damage. Waking
paralysis can best be broken by concentrating on a single big toe and
trying hard to move it. Concentrate 'everything' on moving that big toe.
Once this moves, even a tiny bit, full physical movement will be instantly
restored.

UNWANTED VIBRATIONS
AND PROJECTION SYMPTOMS

Frequent bouts of vibrations, waking paralysis and other projection
related symptoms are a big problem for some people. Many people do not
like these sensations and some can be absolutely terrified by them.
Because of this, many people avoid sleep as a way of avoiding the
projection symptoms, or other projection related problems, like bad oobe
experiences or nightmares. This is the very worse thing they could do as
this will have the reverse effect, and will greatly worsen the condition.

Lack of sleep can also cause a loss of appetite which can further
aggravate this debilitating condition. Together with disturbing energy
sensations and bad OOBE experiences, this can set up a psychological
reflex and a physical condition which can progressively worsen the longer
it is allowed to continue.

The very first thing to address in cases like this is the lack of
sleep, which is the 'root' cause of the whole problem. I strongly suggest
sufferers of this condition seek medical advice 'urgently' and to ask for
a strong enough sleeping medication which will promote long lasting and
dreamless sleep. (I suggest people tell their doctor they are suffering
from insomnia caused by bad dreams - which is partly true - to save
lengthy explanations) Once the sleep deficit is overcome and normal sleep
patterns return to normal, appetite will return and the projection related
symptoms will quickly cease. Keep in mind here that the medication must be
taken regularly (as per medical advice) until the sleep deficit is
completely overcome before the medication can be stopped, or the problem
may reoccur.

If the use of medication is not possible, I suggest getting up early in
the morning and undertaking more physical exercise than usual. This will
'naturally' tire out the physical body, making for easier and heavier
sleep. This type of natural tiredness is quite different from
'overtiredness' caused by a sleep deficit that has been built up over a
long time. The biggest problem with waking paralysis and OBE exit symptoms
is that these 'wake up' the physical body and mind. Therefore, if the
physical body and mind are 'naturally' very tired, they will not wake so
easily, and waking paralysis and etc will be slept through, instead of
them disturbing sleep and causing fear episodes, etc.

HEAVY EXIT SENSATIONS

Heavy exit sensations, including the famous vibrations, are simply
energy movement sensations. The strength of these, however, appears to be
caused by the attempt to shift the centre of 'waking' consciousness
'outside' the bounds of the physical body, along with the real time body
as it projects. This forces a reflection of 'waking' consciousness to go
with the projecting double as it projects 'outside' the physical body.
This throws a spanner into the normal 'sleep projection' mechanism, and
causes a type of teeth rattling bio-energetic jarring to occur in the
physical/etheric body as it tries to accommodate the unusual demand placed
upon it. Normally, this shift of reflected consciousness would follow the
real time body, outside the bounds of the physical body, naturally, while
falling asleep. This causes far lighter and less noticeable energy
movement sensations - ie, not enough to disturb the 'falling asleep'
process. It is the presence of 'awake' consciousness during the projection
process which causes all the problems. It seems that maintaining two awake
and active copies of consciousness, both interior and exterior, requires a
great deal more energy flow than nature generally provides for, and this
in itself appears to be the real cause of heavy exit sensations. This is,
in other words, a true complication of consciousness, of spirit
incarnation into a bio-energetic vehicleu

I know this may sound like the same thing - a natural shift of 'falling
asleep' consciousness out of body, as when compared with a deliberate
shift of 'awake' consciousness out of body - but there is a vast
difference in the energy requirements and resulting sensations for each.
When a projector succeeds in shifting their centre of awareness strongly
enough along 'with' their projecting double, there is also much more
likelihood of them retaining their OOBE memories after reentry and
reintegration - when they wake up. Heavy exit sensations quickly reduce
after the first few conscious exit projections, through forced
bio-energetic development. The energy body progressively becomes used to
the conscious exit process, and steadily adapts and develops in response
to further awake OBE attempts, to provide for and handle the required
energies.

TORSO ENERGY SURGE

Many projections are ruined by a surge of energy in the torso, as
energy flows through the legs and lower primary centres, through the navel
and solar plexus to the heart and higher centres. This feels very much
like the 'falling' sensation you get occasionally while drifting off to
sleep. This feeling makes you catch at the sides of the bed, as if to stop
yourself from falling. All these sensations are caused by a surge of
emotional type energy through the energy body and heart centre, as the
real time double is generated and the projection out of body begins.

This sensation is so strong in some people it leaves them breathless
and wide awake, thus breaking the delicate relaxed state necessary for
conscious exit oobe. This can be an infuriating problem. The torso energy
surge often contains a great deal of emotional, nervous and adrenalin
affecting energies as massive amounts of energy move through the lower
primary centres into and through the heart centre. This can be felt in
much the same way as any emotional surging type of body-rush would be
felt...like a huge wave of excitement, much like you may feel if you
suddenly won a million dollars, or like the feelings caused by riding
roller coaster or bungie-jumping.

Sexual arousal is, also, not uncommonly related to this type of energy
surge, as there is a primary energy centre (major chakra) situated
directly over the genitals. (This centre is not mentioned in the Treatise,
but is dealt with in my book "Astral Dynamics" under the Core Skills &
Energy section) A strong upwards energy rush of energy will thus often
involve this genital centre, to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon
the energy makeup of the projector. Arousal usually breaks the delicately
balanced state required for conscious exit oobe.

Lying prone on the back seems to intensify the torso energy surge
problem. One way of easing this problem is to experiment with other
resting/projection positions, to find one where the sensations are weaker
or less distracting. These sensations are generally weaker when lying on
your side or when sitting semi-upright. Lying fully on your side, however,
tends to promote lucid dreams rather than OOBE's.

This energy surge is, basically, caused by massive energy movement
through the energy body and it's primary centres (major chakras). Heavy
energy movement sensations are caused by energy blockages in energy
structures not accustomed to conscious exit projection. The heavier the
sensations the stronger will be the energy blockages causing them. When
the energy body is unused to heavy primary centre energy movement, and the
projector is awake, these sensations can severely disrupt projection
attempts. The only way to solve this particular problem appears to be
regular meditation, relaxation, trance & energy work, which promotes
energy body development. This is best done separately from actual
projection attempts. These exercises should be continued until energy
centres and their connecting pathways grow strong enough to handle the
stronger energy movements which happen during a conscious exit oobe.

LOST FOCUS DURING THE EXIT

A common cause of failed projection appears to be a failure to shift
the 'centre' of consciousness out of the physical body along 'with' the
real time double as it projects free of the physical body. It is extremely
important a projector keep their mind clear and focused on the action and
sensation of leaving their physical body, to go with it, and not to lose
touch with what is happening. Heavy exit sensations can make this
difficult, I know, but they must be 'totally' ignored. Stay focused on the
projection and where the centre of consciousness is going. If
concentration slips at the wrong time, the real time body can project out,
without a strong centre of waking consciousness. A reflection of mind will
still transfer into the projecting real time double, but the projector's
strongest centre of consciousness will, in effect, remain behind locked
inside the physical/etheric body. This copy will be, in effect, left
behind, feeling some degree of paralysis and weakness, thinking it has
failed the projection completely, and will usually fall asleep shortly
afterwards. In this case, strong memories are created in the physical
brain, for the same time period as the projection. The projected double's
memories can thus have trouble overwriting these upon reintegration. The
whole idea, with this aspect of projection, is to make the 'projection'
memories the strongest and most memorable memories for the same time
period.

The above is a complication of the mind split effect which causes
enormous problems for projectors. It goes a long way to explaining what
may have occurred when (as happens to many people) everything goes fine
right up until the exit stage, with all the right sensations: vibrations,
rapid heartbeat, falling or floating sensation, etc, and then everything
just stops. It just goes away, leaving the almost-projector lying there
wondering what happened and why they failed. Most people this happens to
also feel exhausted, or partially or fully paralysed, after their
seemingly failed projection attempt and soon fall into a deep sleep. The
projection, in this case, will proceed without them, being centred in
their projected double, without them being aware they have succeeded. In
most cases, no memory of the successful projection will be evident upon
waking.

FEAR has many colours:

Fear of heavy projection exit sensations.

Fear of the unknown out of body environment.

Religion instilled worry/fear of doing the wrong thing.

Fear has many subtle forms. All of these can be progressively overcome
by understanding the mechanics and dynamics of OOBE and by experiencing
the projected state at first hand. Projection out of body requires some
bravery and fear is one of the first natural barriers faced by all new
projectors standing on the threshold of a conscious exit projection. Fear
is a natural barrier, apparently designed to stop people projecting until
they are psychologically ready to operate out of their bodies.

"True bravery is not the ability to feel no fear, but is the ability
to control fear whilst continuing to function in a reasonably normal
fashion." (RB)

During an oobe, a projector is virtually invulnerable and can pass
through solid matter, sit on ground zero during an atomic blast, or even
to bask within the heart of a supernova unscathed. The only thing to fear
while out of body is 'fear' itself. Nothing else can directly hurt a
projector and nothing can get at their physical body and mind during a
conscious projection. While it is fairly rare to come across anything
nasty or negative during a projection, any troublesome entity a projector
might stumble across cannot, therefore, directly harm them. They can,
however, show themselves as a form designed to scare the daylights out of
a projector, and this can cause psychologically damage. This can also
result in a subconscious fear of OOBE. It can cause an instinctive,
negative baulking type of reaction which can ruining every conscious exit.
This can stop a projector from enjoying conscious OOBE for the remainder
of their life, unless they can program themselves to overcome it. If this
is already the case, I suggest a course of affirmations and self hypnosis
be used to overcome it.

FEAR OF OOBE EXIT SENSATIONS

Fear of OOBE exit sensations is the very first of the natural barriers
to conscious exit oobe needed to overcome. This is not easy and can take a
lot of control, as well as a lot of faith that the heavy physical
sensations of early conscious projections will not actually hurt you. The
sensations can be 'extremely' physical and violent, especially during the
first few conscious exit attempts, but will always progressively reduce
during subsequent projections.

The physical heartbeat is 'not' actually increased by a conscious exit
projection attempt. It is not 'caused' to physically race by the OOBE
attempt - although it will often definitely 'feel' like it is racing so
fast it seems about to explode. This racing sensation is the heart chakra
(primary centre) working overtime to provide the energy needed to generate
and project the Real Time vehicle. The difficulty here is, again, caused
by the real time body attempting to take an 'awake' copy of consciousness
out of body. This is something quite different from natural sleep
projection, and therefore can cause some rather extreme energy movement
sensations, which are often felt as extremely physical sensations.

The heart may, indeed, increase in speed when the heart chakra becomes
fully active 'if' the projector becomes frightened. Fear and panic can
cause further sensations by way of an 'actual' rapid heartbeat, shortness
of breath, vertigo, nausea, cramps and pain, etc. The best way to get over
this is to concentrate everything on climbing ROPE and getting out of body
as 'quickly' as possible - while totally ignoring the racing heart
sensation and heavy bodily vibrations. The sooner the projector gets out
of their body the sooner these will stop. The heavy physical sensations
can, to a great extent, be reduced by regular meditation and energy work,
which progressively develops the energy body, enabling it to provide and
deal with the energies required for conscious exit projection. A smooth
and rapid exit from the physical body is, however, the very best way of
overcoming this.

Please note that 'not' everybody experiences heavy exit sensations, but
it is far better to be prepared for a worst case scenario than to be
caught by surprise and scared out of a perfectly good projection. Heavy
exit sensations, on their own, can also cause psychological scarring and
make each future projection attempt even more difficult to achieve. This
is like how you might wince by instinctive reflex action while brushing a
once sensitive tooth, even long after it has been repaired and no pain
will be felt.

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
OUT OF BODY ENVIRONMENT

Fear of the out of body environment itself is not easy to get over.
This is simply caused by fear of the unknown and most people get some
degree of this the first few times they get out. This type of fear seems
related to the natural fear of the dark which all children have to grow
out of. This type of fear goes away gradually, as you become accustomed to
projection sensations and the out of body environment through progressive
personal experience. A new projector must be brave and control and ignore
this fear, if only for a short time. Even if they still feel strong
feelings of fear, they can and must ignore these and go on with their OOBE
attempt. Once they get out of body, they'll have overcome the first great
barrier to OOBE and fear levels will be greatly reduced the next time they
get out. Becoming progressively more and more familiar with the out of
body environment, through multiple projections, is of the best ways of
overcoming this type of fear.

Getting out, if only briefly and for the very first time, is the most
important goal for any new projector. This will make the out of body
environment much more real and it will make it even more achievable next
time. Even if a projector only manages the conscious exit a couple of
times, the memory and 'reality' of OOBE will be forever instilled into
them by those experiences. The knowledge that they can exist apart from
their physical body and remain intact, alive and functioning, will remain
with them forever. This, on it's own, can also greatly help to reduce the
fear of personal death, and even the pain of grief felt when a loved one
is lost. OOBE provides very attainable first hand experience of what it
will be like to die. What is death if not the final projection out of
body? If OOBE has been experienced, therefore, they are not going to some
strange place or having some totally unknown experience, ie, death. They
are only repeating (albeit with slightly more finality) something they
have already experienced before.

Projecting during daylight hours is the very best way to quickly
overcome fear of the out of body environment. There is 'nothing' scary
about flying around out of body on a bright sunny day. It's an enormously
enjoyable experience, to say the very least. Have you every wondered what
it would be like to fly like Superman? And, if you worry about meeting
something scary: I have never seen or heard of any type of negative or
troublesome entity, not even the simple mischievous types, operating out
in the open in full sunlight. While it is possible to come across some
things inside a building, the chances of meeting something scary are
extremely remote if, after the exit, the projector immediately heads
outside into the open and into the full sunlight. The action of doing this
quickly, immediately after the exit, may also throw a projector straight
into the astral planes, again greatly reducing the likelihood of meeting
anything scary.

RELIGION INSTILLED WORRY/FEAR

Many people worry they are breaking God's laws, or infringing upon
something in the Bible, by having OBE's. There are NO direct Biblical
references which directly state projection is wrong, evil or even advising
against it. In fact, there are many references within the bible that
mention OBE, ie, if memory serves me, St Paul speaks on this, when telling
of one man's mystical experience: "whether in or out of his body I cannot
tell".

If it's not written in the Holy Bible then it 'must' be evil is another
common flame against OBE. However, the majority of the technological
accomplishments of the modern world are also 'not' in the Bible. This does
not make them evil in any way.

OBE is witchcraft, as witches are known to have OBE's, and they
therefore must be evil is another popular flame against OBE. Well, this is
like saying that air travel is evil, simply because Hitler was known to
fly in aircraft, or that the night is evil, simply because witches are
generally more active at night, or that explosives are evil, simply
because some people make bombs out of them to hurt people with.

My way of seeing this is: God created the heavens and the universe and
everything within them. His creation is perfect and nothing has been
overlooked, down to the smallest atom. God also created the integrated
physical and energetic subtle bodies within man, and unseen inside His
design lays the potential for the natural multi-dimensional mind split
effect, which occurs to 'everyone' whenever they sleep. The ability to
have conscious out of body experiences is a 'natural' ability and, even
though many people find it difficult to accomplish, everyone has the
potential for this ability. I think, if God did not want people to have
OOBE's, He would have designed us a little differently, and made
projection impossible? To think otherwise is to claim that God made a
mistake, which is to say God is fallible, which is definitely irreligious
and probably goes against all known religious and Biblical laws. My life
experience leads me to sincerely believe that God is wise and that HE
never ever makes mistakes.

CALLING FOR HELP

It is possible to call for help from another projector when attempting
to project, or to call someone to meet you when you get out of body. Once
you hit the trance state, or feel heavy and are close to falling asleep,
mentally call out the person's name several times, as loudly (mentally) as
you can. If they are out of body they will definitely hear you, no matter
where they are or how far away them might be, and will be drawn to come
visit you. If this person is experienced, they may be able to help you out
of your body.

Another projector, although they may be able to help in other ways,
will not, however, be able to actually 'pull' another projector out of
their body. Any attempt to do so will be perceived by the projector as a
psychic/energy body attack (very unpleasant cold shivers, etc) which will
tend to break their delicately balanced 'projectable' state. A projector
can best help another projector by waiting for the natural projection
(sleep projection) to take place and then making them aware they are
projecting, helping them to remember it. Good advice at this time would be
for them to dive back into their physical body shouting "I did it!" to
help them cement their oobe memories.

Often, when a natural projection occurs, the real time body will drift
slowly out of it's physical body and hover just above it, mimicking it's
sleeping position. The real time projector in this state is asleep, just
as it's physical body and mind are. A helpful projector can best help them
attain an OOBE by gently waking the sleeping projector's real time body
and urging them to reenter their physical body before it falls too deeply
asleep. If this has already happened, a joint projection can then proceed.
In this case, I suggest the novice projector periodically returns to their
physical body and keeps a close eye on the time. They can then make sure
they are hovering nearby and ready to dive back into their physical body
shouting "I did it!" the moment the alarm clock starts to go off, when
they feel the first tugs from the physical body as it begins reeling them
in for reintegration.

SPIRITS

Personally, I do not advise projectors call out to 'unknown' spirits or
'unknown' guides to help them project, unless they know 'exactly' who or
what they are calling, and can verify their credentials as to exactly who
and what they are. Calling blindly for any help from anywhere carries a
high risk of attracting the unwanted attention of undesirable astral
wildlife and mischievous spirit entities. Most types of intelligent astral
wildlife and spirit entities appear to require some kind of 'permission'
before they can interfere with a living person's life. Calling blindly for
help can provide an entity with all the 'permission' it needs, albeit
obtusely. And, once permission is given in cases like this, it cannot so
simply or easily be revoked. It is, I believe, a very unsafe practice
indeed, to deliberately solicit the help of unknown spirit entities, as
any type of open invite or request for help may invite a negative entity
to trouble you instead. Calling upon Angels, however, does not carry the
same cautions as does blindly calling upon unknown spirits.

Prayers to God (in whatever form or name you believe in) asking for His
protection and help, however, are 'highly' recommended and do not carry
this same risk. I thoroughly recommend a prayer for protection be
'sincerely' said before any projection, even just a few words, regardless
of belief or religion - or even the lack of it. Prayers are most effective
when said from a deeply relaxed 'quiet' mental state; ie, from in the
trance state.

If a spirit of some kind does manifest during an OBE, and the projector
is not sure if they are genuine or not, a simple test is to ask it to go
away and leave you alone, and to return at another time, when called upon.
Any good spirit will obey this request, and will return another time when
called upon. If a spirit does not leave, or argues against this request,
saying it knows better than you what's good for you, etc, then its a
pretty safe bet this spirit is not who they say they are.

There are certain skills necessary to be learned by any projector
wishing to OOBE at will. There are 'no' safe shortcuts to projection. The
difficulties associated with conscious exit OOBE are best thought of as
natural barriers, barriers which are there for a 'reason' and which are
therefore unwise to avoid. If there is a friendly spirit or guide
associated or interested in the progress of a projector, and they are
interested in helping, they will know 'exactly' what the projector is
doing and 'when' they are doing it. If they are willing and able to help
with them learning projection, they will do so, without any request from
the projector.

The difficulties of conscious exit OOBE are 'natural' barriers and it
is unwise to avoid the lessons these hold and the skills that can be
gained in overcoming them. These skills: deep physical relaxation,
clearing the mind, concentration, trance, bodily awareness actions, energy
raising and the ability to overcome fear, are necessary requirements for
successful and safe out of body operations. In a nutshell, if you cannot
make it out of your body under your own steam, you should not be
projecting at that time. This does not, however, mean you should not keep
trying, as once the necessary skills are learned, and you have fulfilled
the requirements for OBE operations, you will have passed the first
natural barrier and will be ready to take your first steps out of your
body.

PHYSICAL BODY'S EYES

While this may appear obvious to many people, I have had a lot of
queries over this matter. The physical body's eyes must remain closed at
all times during a projection attempt. (you wouldn't believe how many
times I've been asked about this:) Real Time and/or Astral sight will
enable by itself during or just prior to a conscious projection exit. If a
projection is too dark or the projector feels they are blind, I suggest
they use the out of body energy raising techniques, as given earlier. It
is also possible to create light by visualisation, by visualising a torch
or lamp, etc. Many people find they simply have to ask for their sight
when out of body and they get it straight away. Another way to overcome
darkness is to visualise a well lit destination and use the instant travel
method to project there.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Rapid Eye Movement, commonly called the 'REM' state, often happens
during an oobe attempt - often, but not always. This is a natural event
triggered by the trance state when the physical body is very tired - when
the physical body falls into a deeper sleep than is actually required, but
with the mind still being held awake. The REM condition signposts the
ideal time to have a lucid dream, as this indicates the dream mind is
becoming active. If fear or other difficulties make OOBE difficult I
suggest the projector focus on having a lucid dream at this time, as this
will give some type of related out of body experience which will help
prepare them for a full blown conscious exit OOBE later on. At this time a
'conscious' lucid dream becomes a viable alternative to a conscious OOBE,
especially if REM activity is disturbing and breaking the concentration of
the projector. Keep in mind here that a lucid dream can be converted into
a Real Time or astral projection if the projector focuses on and 'feels'
for their body. They will then either project back to their body, or near
to it, and a full OOBE can continue, or is then much easier to attain.

LD Note: A good way to attain a lucid dream, if lying
down when the REM state hits, is for the projector to stop the OOBE
attempt, staying relaxed and turning on their side (not their back) and to
imagine a department store setting while allowing themselves to sink
gently into sleep. If all goes well, they'll slip directly into a lucid
dream with no apparent break in consciousness.

CLOSING ENERGY CENTRES?

*Author's Note* This section contradicts, corrects and replaces an
earlier section in the original Treatise - on closing primary energy
centres after using them. The reason for this contradiction is simply that
my continuing research has led to an increased understanding of the energy
body and how it works - with experience teaching me otherwise in this
case:)

After any type of energy work it is, traditionally, believed to be
important to close all energy centres that have been stimulated or opened.
While this idea appears to have some merit on the surface, I have come to
the conclusion it is a completely illogical practice. No localised
awareness action or visualised action can cause an energy centre (chakra)
to deactivate or close. This applies to any type of energy centre,
secondary or primary. Experience tells me that no matter how an awareness
action is performed at the site of an energy centre it will 'always' cause
stimulation. It is a mistake to think that any awareness or visualised
action can succeed at closing or deactivating an energy centre. This is a
little like fanning a spark (inactive energy centre) into a flame with an
stimulation action (making the spark an 'active' energy centre) and then
trying to make that same flame go out by blowing up on it from a different
direction. However it is done, it will continue to fan the flame.

Consider this: Most popular chakra opening methods involve visualising
a small door or pair of curtains opening over the site of a chakra. Once
this is done that chakra is deemed to have been 'opened'. This method is
then simply reversed to 'close' that chakra at the end of the session.
Once these doors have been visualised as closing, the chakras are deemed
to have been 'closed'.

Primary chakras are complex non-physical 'vortexes' of energy, each
with a great many functions, about the size of the palm of your hand. If
you look at just how a visualised 'little door' opening technique like
this would affect a powerful energy structure like this, it becomes fairly
obvious that a reversed action of 'closing' a simple little door would
have little or no effect. It would also not affect it in the desired way.
If you understand how bodily awareness and Tactile Imaging works, as per
the Treatise, it becomes clear this reasoning is somewhat faulty. Both
opening and closing methods involve a visualised or bodily awareness
action at the site of a major chakra. Both opening and closing actions
will, therefore, each cause some degree of stimulation. Primary energy
centres can not be likened to simple mechanical devices that can be
switched off or closed by any such visualisation or awareness action.

Energy centres are, I think I have shown, not simply little doorways
that can be opened and shut with good intentions and a little
visualisation. Some people may dispute this, as energy centres are
'traditionally' supposed to be closed after use; as per popular new-age
type theories and literature on this subject. Be that as it may, my logic
is sound and based on repeatable experiments, and energy centres simply
'cannot' be deactivated or 'closed' in this way. If a person thinks they
have succeeded at doing this, they will find this is merely a coincidence,
and that the energy centres in question were deactivating on their own
anyway. In most cases, primary energy centres will begin deactivating very
quickly from the moment relaxation discipline is broken, when physical
body movement and normal levels of mental activity are restored.

Reversing the energy 'raising' action and taking energy down through
the legs (not through primary centres) however, does help reduce activity
in primary energy centres. This reversed energy raising action does not
involved any type of direct chakra stimulation and will reduces the amount
of energy flowing into the energy body, especially through the legs. This
reduces the amount of energy available to primary energy centres, thereby
reducing activity in them to some extent. This does not, however, involve
any focused awareness actions at the sites of primary centres.

Energy centres, primary and secondary, naturally reduce their level of
activity once relaxation discipline is broken, as well as when they cease
to be stimulated or used. The best way to deactivate energy centres is to
stop stimulating and using them. Energy centres will also cease activity
when they become energetically exhausted. This will happen when the
supporting energy body circuitry shuts down, becomes exhausted, or for
some other reason becomes incapable of providing the required energy flow
necessary to maintain primary energy centres in their active state.

Note: if no significant continuing energy movement or activity
is felt in primary energy centres, after a development session or
projection attempt, they should be left alone. An attempt should be made
to reduce activity 'only' if continuing chakra sensations are pronounced
or become bothersome and uncomfortable. If left alone, they will naturally
deactivate very quickly once relaxation discipline is broken and physical
movement and activity are restored.

WAYS OF REDUCING PRIMARY CENTRE ACTIVITY

Reverse the energy raising action in the legs and arms alone -
pushing energy back down and out of the body.

* Combinations of the above actions will slow or stop energy centre
activity.

YO-YO OOOBE TECHNIQUE

The whole point of any OOBE technique is to exteriorize bodily
awareness outside of the physical body to trigger the projection reflex
quickly, whilst the projector remains mentally awake. This, apparently
simple, awareness action can, however, be extremely difficult for most
people to maintain for more than a couple of seconds. If this is done only
briefly, however, over and over and rhythmically, for long enough, it will
also have the effect of triggering the projection reflex.

Following is the outline of a new technique I call YOYO. I have used
this myself and it seems to have almost as many good points as the Rope
technique, but most people find YOYO much easier. This method is a good
alternative if you are having trouble with ROPE. This can also be used as
a good preparatory exercise for an OOBE attempt. It helps 'loosen up' the
projectable double, even if another technique is to be used for the actual
exit.

Get yourself into a deeply relaxed state, or into the trance state
if possible, as you normally would prepare for using an OOBE technique.

Pick a target on the ceiling above your bed, or on the wall if using
a chair. This can be a light fitting or picture (anything) or you can
tape a small paper target up above you.

Stand on a chair (careful not to fall) and get the feel of what it
is like to have your face up close to the target. Feel the changed
spatial coordinates. Feel what this new position (up next to the target)
feels like from there. Feel where the floor and bed and furniture and
windows and doors are now. Memorise what it 'feels' like to be in this
position, up close to your target.

Instead of using ROPE, shift your awareness out of your body and
push it right up next to the target, as if target were right next to
your face. Imagine and 'feel' yourself being at the target, right up
close to it. Hold your awareness there for one second only and then pull
your point of awareness back to your body. Feel yourself move right up
to the target and, briefly, feel your spatial coordinates in the room
change as your bodily awareness changes location. Feel the room move
around you, briefly, as you fly up to the target and back to your body.
Feel the room change back to normal when you pull your centre of
awareness back to your body.

Bounce your awareness back and forth between the target and your
body at roughly one second intervals (whatever feels most natural). Try
and develop a natural rhythm, in and out, in and out, over and over.

When you get used to using this technique, extend your time at the
target slightly, just a little bit longer. Always keep this time short
enough to be comfortable and achievable so you can do it repeatedly,
over and over, with ease. This takes concentration but is quite easy
when you get the hang of it.

Keep this up and it will trigger the projection reflex just like
ROPE.

Vary this technique as you see fit, with other OOBE techniques like
ROPE, or rolling out of your body, or feeling yourself floating out of
body, point shift, etc. You may, for example, trigger the projectable
state, feeling vibrations, etc, using YOYO and find it easier to finish
off the exit using ROPE, or by rolling out of your body, or with another
favourite method.

RACING HEARTBEAT, DISORIENTATION & PRESSURE

In my opinion, disorientation and head pressure, during or after an OBE
or OBE attempt, stem from forced bio-energetic development, caused by an
OBE attempt. Any problems resulting from this will settle down over a
couple of days. I do not advise further attempts until you feel completely
normal again - as things must have time to adjust and develop in response
to what has happened - as a muscle must be given time to heal and develop
after being overworked and strained.

While a logical observation, and partly true, the assumption that the
heart chakra is not getting enough energy, and that this is causing it to
race during an OBE attempt, is not entirely correct. This matter is far
more complex than it appears.

When you cease a projection causing bodily awareness action, ie, Rope,
and observe the throbbing in your heart chakra slowing, you have actually
eased the pressure that was forcing your energy body to generate your
projectable double. This eases the load on the heart chakra, thus slowing
its activity.

The heart chakra is forced to provide a lot of energy, to generate the
projectable double, during an awake induced OBE attempt. Excessive heart
centre activity, and all other heavy exit sensations, are 'caused' by the
presence of 'awake' consciousness, which cause a plethora of bio-energetic
conflicts to arise. To support this: think how easily you project out of
body when your mind is asleep, and out of the bio-energetic equation? When
asleep, you'll find you slip out with hardly a murmur from your hear
chakra, feeling only a mild, brief falling sensation. At the very worse
this level of exit sensations will make you catch the sides of your bed,
especially at times when you are drifting in and out of sleep, before
actually falling asleep.

When awake consciousness is present during an OBE attempt, a true
'complication of bio-incarnated consciousness' arises. Your awake mind
changes the whole equation, and the usual bio-energetic projection
mechanism comes under a lot of unusual pressure. It finds it must work
overtime to provide the energies needed to generate the projected double
while awake consciousness is present. When awake consciousness is present
during projection, the bio-energetic projection mechanism has to overcome
the awake mind's conscious control over its physical body, and the
'tension' this automatically generates.

By partly true, I mean that the heart chakra does speed up when
increased energy demands are placed upon it. This can occur during an OBE,
when the projected double deliberately draws more energy from its
physical/etheric counterpart, which is energetically maintaining its
projected double via the Silver Cord. A noticeable heavier thrumming will
also be felt from within the perceived chest area of the projected double
when this happens, even though it does not have a chest, per se. This is
especially noticeable at close range, within 20 feet (6 metres) or so,
during a Real Time OBE, and eases with greater distance.

But, when heart centre throbbing speeds up during a conscious exit OBE
attempt (which is especially noticeable during early OBE's and OBE
attempts), this is a sign that awake consciousness is throwing a spanner
into the works, so to speak.

Apart from the 'unavoidable' presence of awake consciousness - which
must be overcome through repeated OBE attempt experience (which develops
the projection mechanism to the point where it can compensate), plus
simple bio-energetic development - most of the problems this causes stem
from a lack of deep physical relaxation. This is the most 'widespread'
problem and general cause of this. The vast majority of would-be
projectors do not attain a sufficient state of deep physical relaxation
prior to OBE attempts, and then experience heavy exit sensations and
problems as a result.

No way! you might say, "I'm in full trance and so 'must' be deeply
physically relaxed enough for projection to occur. Well, while an
understandable assumption, think on this: it is quite possible to attain a
fairly deep level of trance (usually too deep for easy OBE) while the
physical body still retains sufficient physical tension to interfere with
the projection mechanism. In a similar way, it is also possible to fall
asleep while still full of stress and tension. For example, I can attain a
full trance state while standing and even walking - which obviously
entails physical tension, which obviously would interfere with an OBE
attempt, if I attempted one at this time.

My suggestion is to read The Treatise on OBE, Version 2.00, parts 1 -
8, and then to spend at least a few weeks practicing deep physical
relaxation, and trance work only. Do this 'separately' from OBE attempts,
preferably at times when you are wide awake, like in the morning. This
makes relaxation and trance work much harder, but has far more development
benefits because of this.

If after following the above advice, you still have problems, I'd
consider the Mind-Split as being the culprit stopping you from
'remembering' your OBE's. If you experience vibrations or other exit
sensations prior to the racing heart centre sensation, it possible that
you had already succeeded at projecting, but had missed the exit: meaning
that after your projected double had departed, your physical/etheric
aspect was continuing to attempt projection. Under this circumstance,
projection is impossible, re the etheric body cannot leave its physical
counterpart while a OBE is 'already' in progress.

EMOTION & REENTRY

The emotional content of the reentry phase is 'extremely' important as
it strengthens OBE memories. If the mind split is responsible, and it
probably is, for failed OBE attempts, this means your memories of existing
in your physical/etheric body are not allowing your OBE memories to
'overwrite' them after reentry. The nature of the physical brain is to
record only a single memory for any single time period. During an OBE, two
completely separate sets of memory are present - those of the
physical/etheric body and those of its projected double. The 'strongest'
memory set will be the set retained, as a recallable memory, after an OBE.
The memories of the physical/etheric body have more of an immediate impact
on the physical brain, as these memories are automatically recorded, as
per normal physical memory recording.

In order for an OBE memory download to take place, and overwrite these
memories, they have to be stronger and have more 'impact' than the
resident memories. Emotion can thus be used to empower OBE memories, to
give them more impact on the physical brain. It is for the above reasons
that fearful or exciting, more dramatic, OBE's are more easily remembered
than are the more mundane type.

I remember during my early days of OBE (when I started doing it
deliberately) floating near my physical body trying to work out why I
seemed to be failing and losing the OBE memory most of the time. I was
trying to OBE just about every night, but had only succeeded a few times
that year. At these times, my projected double had no problem exiting my
physical body. I wondered, as it was so easy, why I was not remembering
more of my OBE's. Then I remembered how excited I was during and after
these OBE's, and started to wonder....'hmmm, maybe emotion itself had
something to do with carrying the OBE memories back into my physical body
with me?'

I made a successful 'emotional' reentry that night, and remembered my
OBE reasoning. I have applied this reasoning ever since then, and have
thus had countless successful OBE's. Now, I always 'shout' my success
'savagely' in some way as I make the reentry. I hold the OBE memory very
strongly in mind and use a trigger phrase to enforce an effective memory
download, ie, "I did it!" or "My hands melted!" or etc. This works! I
always come to (wake up) with my trigger phrase on my lips, and with full
memory of my OBE. This really does make a world of difference.